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NEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCE of the association being random was of the order of 2000:1 against. about 10 Hz. In 1959 it was measured to be slightly different. However, the fact that sometimes the rate went up and sometimes Meanwhile, the military co-opted the discovery for using ELF signals down showed that ionospheric storms changed the rate of incidence of _ for submarine communications. mental disturbance in a way that is consistent with that change being In fact, the first mode of these circulating signals has an average dependent on the actual causes being linked to variations in the value of 7.8 Hz, with a typical diurnal range of from 7.2 to 8.8 Hz, Schumann's resonance signals. At that point, Hainsworth decided to and the second mode has an average value of 14.1 Hz and a range of concentrate on trying to get some observational work going on from 13.2 to 15.8 Hz. These match the brain-wave theta rhythm and measuring the SR signals. beta rhythm nicely. The blank range between the two modes is a very Hainsworth's set-up used a 2,000-turn, 1-metre-square antenna, and reasonable match with the normal frequency range of the human another of 1/3-metre square, plus amplifiers to handle signals from 0 alpha rhythm, between 8 to 12 Hz or cycles. to 30 Hz. His amplified Schumann's signals were analysed in a labo- Additionally, it was found that there is minimum (zero) power cir- ratory. On one occasion the signal dropped to zero amplitude when a__ culating in the Earth/ionosphere cavity at 10.4 Hz—which is virtually solar flare occurred, and did not start recovering for about an hour an exact match for the average value of the alpha rhythm. and a half afterwards. It was originally just under 7 Hz and came _ Hainsworth points out that the existence of these natural signals and back at only just over 6 Hz. His next step would have been to devel- _ the close relationship of their frequencies of oscillation were facts op a wave analyser to try to pick out individual signals. But the fail- | unknown to senior neurologists and mental health specialists as late ing health of both himself and his wife prevented this. as 1975. The value of proceeding with his seminal work has now increased Hainsworth argued that up to the end of 1979, no long-term sys- many-fold due to the threat from the proposed US Missile Defense tematic measurements of any great value were being made of the Shield. This is the offspring of the United States' HAARP program in Schumann's resonance signals. Measurements were being made only Alaska, whose raison d’étre, or mission statement, allegedly dealing intermittently for the purpose of obtaining research data for use by with national security, is vague if not purposefully misleading. post-graduate geophysicists in constructing esoteric mathematical models of the ionosphere. It follows from this that, until long after EM FREQUENCIES AND HUMAN RESPONSE the end of 1979, no figures on these signals were available. Hainsworth posed a series of questions, all of which are answered Consequently, no "expert" can produce numerical evidence to support with a resounding "yes". This should lead us in the direction of an objection to Hainsworth's original hypothesis, since the only extreme caution towards introducing new EM or ELF sources and numerical values available are those favouring it. ionospheric changes in our environment. He presented his data in However, Hainsworth left us with some open-ended questions: two papers (referenced at the end of this article and posted on the 7. Has any evidence ever been obtained to indicate that the human website http://www.nwbotanicals.org). His questions are as follows: system is totally unaffected by externally applied electromagnetic 1. Does the human biological system contain, use or generate any fields? forms of electrical signal? 8. Have any measurement programs ever been attempted to show 2. Does it respond to any of these signals? whether the human system is (a) totally unaffected, (b) always affect- 3. Does it respond to audible signals at these frequencies? ed, or (c) sometimes affected by naturally [or artificially] occurring 4. Does it respond to optical signals at these frequencies? electromagnetic signals? 5. Do human signals change with psychological or mental states, 9. Has the existence of such signals, having a close relationship such as stress or problem solving? with human biological signal frequencies, been known for many 6. Does the human system respond to any very, very low-power years? ale EM FREQUENCIES AND HUMAN RESPONSE the end of 1979, no figures on these signals were available. Hainsworth posed a series of questions, all of which are answered Consequently, no "expert" can produce numerical evidence to support with a resounding "yes". This should lead us in the direction of an objection to Hainsworth's original hypothesis, since the only extreme caution towards introducing new EM or ELF sources and numerical values available are those favouring it. ionospheric changes in our environment. He presented his data in However, Hainsworth left us with some open-ended questions: two papers (referenced at the end of this article and posted on the 7. Has any evidence ever been obtained to indicate that the human website http://www.nwbotanicals.org). His questions are as follows: system is totally unaffected by externally applied electromagnetic 1. Does the human biological system contain, use or generate any fields? forms of electrical signal? 8. Have any measurement programs ever been attempted to show 2. Does it respond to any of these signals? whether the human system is (a) totally unaffected, (b) always affect- 3. Does it respond to audible signals at these frequencies? ed, or (c) sometimes affected by naturally [or artificially] occurring 4. Does it respond to optical signals at these frequencies? electromagnetic signals? 5. Do human signals change with psychological or mental states, 9. Has the existence of such signals, having a close relationship such as stress or problem solving? with human biological signal frequencies, been known for many 6. Does the human system respond to any very, very low-power years? electromagnetic signals? Brain waves have only been studied since about the mid-1920s, and the signal form that is appar- = Fr) ently most widely known and identified is the — — alpha rhythm. The frequency of this signal varies from individual to individual, but it lies between about 7-8 Hz and 12 Hz, with an average value of 10.5 Hz. Theta and beta rhythm signals also occur, and are identifiable by EEG below the 8 Hz and above the 12 Hz frequencies. Since the dis- covery and measurement of these signals, a great deal of effort has been devoted to trying to work out how they originated in the first place and what determines their frequencies of operation. In the early to mid-1950s, Schumann (a geo- physicist almost certainly uninterested in neurolo- gy) suggested that electromagnetic signals might circulate at extremely low frequencies in the elec- trically resonant cavity between the Earth and the J ionosphere. He was right. The signals came to be 7 7 called "Schumann's resonances". One major com- Pee 2 ponent was originally predicated at a frequency of ‘Clonin Technician ) = Soundé way beter | oe a APRIL —- MAY 2003 NEXUS = 43 SS — Somethin www.nexusmagazine.com